The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1887-06-03
For the De~niocrnt-Star.
A ESCAPADE.

to become vacant, aud no one
seemed very DESTROYS OF filling it,
that is none who stood a reasonable
chance of being elected-except
Charlie Ashby. Charlie was "a
clever young man and had hosts of
friends, aud no one could recall an
unworthy act of Charities, or, as
Bill YOungblOod put il, you could
not recall anything specially good
or bad, as Charlie had oulv been Tor
a short while on this terrestrial
globe; the light down on his upper
lip had jast begun to assert itself
sufficiently to be visible on close
inspection. Charles ideas we're
big enough, it his mustache was
not, but they we're like the old
darky's watermelons-they were
big enough, but too green to pull
yet, as the sequel proved.
After our young hopeful had fully
decided upon capturing the sherlff's
office, be read up on political ma
nipulatiOn, aud sailed forth to
secure the services of u good polit-
zeal manager (wirepuller) and AS
fate would have it selected the
aforesaid Bill YOungblOOd to man.
age the campaign tor him. Bill
was an anOmaly-he was a political
wirepuller, aud, strange to say, a
little patriotic. He could manipu-
late the wines better than any man
in the county, but would never I'M
dertake a job in direct opposition
to the welfare OF the people at large.
Consequently, when Charlie ap-
preached him be discouraged his
candidacy, and had Charities IDEAS
been ripe and ready to pull he would
have dropped Bill and sought some
other manager; but be did not, and
was so persistent in his impOrtuni.
ties and offers OF handsome renum-
Grafton, that Bill concluded that it
was best to take the management
OF Charles campaign and steer
him clear of Il majority by all means.
SO he made terms with the unSus.
pectiug youth and went iuto the
canyass determined to leave no
stone ~unturned that would serve to
place Charlie in the minority On
election day.
Bills conduct might not have
been exactly CONNIE IL fault, but he
was something of a Jesuit, mas
much as be believed that the eUd
would justify the means, and that
of two evils he was choosing the
lesser. He also had an old fashion
idea that, though it might be- very
pleasant to the officers, for the clerk
aud sheriff to be OH the very best
OF terms, IL would be to the interest
of the people if there was just
enough Ot reserve between those
two officials to make each perform
his duty to the letter rather ;han
give the other the opportunity to
make unfavorable discoveries there.
in.::SO Bill said he thought too much
OF tue clerk that vas to be. aud also
OF the yOungster that wanted to he
sheriff, To permit them both TO sue.
coed in their aspirations. AS he
expressed it, u WAS so good ma.
tnred aud 'tOther didn't know how,
that the duties of both Offices would
fall on the good natured one, and
he did not believe in imposing on
good nature.
A few of Bills trusted friends
were made acquainted with his
plans and their services secured.
A number of rather expensive bar.
becues and other entertainments
were planned, and Charlie was
called upon to respond literally, at
which be WINGED greatly. He was
willing to pay Bill handsomely, but
thought that vas enough and that
Bill ought to take care of the bar
becues at his own expense. Charlie.
though possessed OF a respectable
estate, was so close that he thought
it al extravaganza to drink a stem
ach fall OF branch water off his
own land, so Bills delight was TO
make him count out the dollars
when the opportunity offered.
Charlie expOstulated, bat Bill as.
sured him that be was swimming
along to success cheaper than any
other candidate bad dOne-that
success was almost certain aud his
opponent in prospect stood hardly
a ghost of a chance.
Now, Charlie was not an orator,
by any means, but Bill insisted that
he was, aud persisted in making
appointments for him to address the
dear people.
There were many lively incidents
10 the canvass, as Bill lost no op-
pOrtuDity 10 show off the yerdure
Of his young prOtege. But the last
appointment was where Bill got off
his GROWING piece of r~ascality, OF
l started out to tell, but was
about to make the whole story a
iigressiOn.
1t was at the town of l., Bill
bad arranged for Charlie to speak.
he made all tue necessary arrange
with his friends to carry out
ais plans. They engaged u large
laIl aud prepared everything for the
occasion, Bill stayed with Charlie ,
% stuff him aud keep him away
rom L. lest be should s'catch
~ to the racket He had already
to grow weary OF such a live.
y aud expensive tussel for an I
flee no One seemed to want but
but Bill bOlstered him up